1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automobile power plant and, in particular, relates to a power plant in which a transmission is transversely mounted immediately behind a transversely mounted engine with an engine crankshaft and a transmission output shaft lying parallel to each other.
2. Description of Related Art
In a conventional automobile power plant layout, as depicted in FIG. 1, an engine 91 and a transmission 92 are mounted in line in a lengthwise direction of a car so that input and output shafts of the transmission are aligned in a straight line with an output shaft, such as a crankshaft, of the engine. However, such a power plant layout does not lend itself well for adaptation to the construction of compact power plants and low hood lines.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-316561, an embodiment of which is depicted in FIG. 2, reveals a conventional solution for providing compact power plants in which engine 93 is transversely mounted within the engine compartment accompanied by transmission 94 also being transversely mounted immediately behind it so as to place the transmission output shaft in parallel with the output shaft of engine 93. A power transfer means 95 is attached to one end of the engine output shaft, and extends toward the rear to a point at which it is connected to the laterally extending input shaft of the transmission to facilitate the transfer of power from the output shaft of engine 93 to the input shaft of transmission 94. Further, a two-wheel drive differential 97 is located toward the rear of transmission case 96, and front wheel drive axles 98 and 99 are connected to its right and left sides.
The conventional type of power plant depicted in FIG. 2 is more compact than power plants which utilize the in line lengthwise arrangement shown in FIG. 1, and is particularly advantageous for use with vehicles having low hood lines. With this power plant, differential 97 is positioned to the rear of the crankshaft of engine 93 and the transmission 94 is displaced above and between the crankshaft of engine 93 and drive axles of the differential 97. In this arrangement, if a measurable improvement is achieved by shortening the front overhang of a vehicle by tilting the engine 93 toward the rear of the vehicle, then the space between the rear surface of engine 93 and a dash panel becomes constricted and is narrowed, thereby limiting the freedom of layout available for the placement of the transmission 94 and the differential 97. This is a problem particularly evident with V-type engines.